Tight end Hill happy to have shot with Texans

Hill happy to be a TexanHomecoming will be sweet if he wins spot as No. 2 tight end

MEGAN MANFULL, Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

Published 5:30 am, Monday, May 18, 2009

Photo: North Carolina State

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Anthony Hill's family is happy the tight end is back in Texas, but many of them wanted the Cowboys to draft him.

Anthony Hill's family is happy the tight end is back in Texas, but many of them wanted the Cowboys to draft him.

Photo: North Carolina State

Tight end Hill happy to have shot with Texans

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Texans rookie tight end Anthony Hill is dealing with a divided family. When Hill was selected by the Texans in the fourth round of the NFL draft, his family was thrilled he was returning to Texas after spending his collegiate career at North Carolina State.

Some of his family members, however, wished Hill had landed in Dallas instead of back in his hometown of Houston.

“Half of my family is Cowboys fans and half are Texans fans,” Hill said. “All the Houston Texans fans, they are really, really happy. The Cowboys fans are happy as well, but they wish I had gone to Dallas. They are excited to see me play though.”

Hill (6-5, 262) hits the field for the first time as a Texan when organized team activities get under way this morning. He couldn’t imagine a better scenario as he enters the offseason in competition for the No. 2 tight end position.

With Mark Bruener retiring after his 14th season, the Texans are seeking his replacement. Hill will compete with Joel Dreessen and fellow rookie James Casey for playing time in two tight-end sets.

Hill will try to separate himself from the rest with the skills that made him arguably the best blocking tight end in the draft.

“I think he caught my eye first when we were watching N.C. State and evaluating tight ends,” Texans tight ends coach Brian Pariani said. “You could see the strength he had.

“I think what Anthony adds is that he’s a line-of-scrimmage player who adds toughness to what we’re trying to do in the running game.”

That’s not to say Hill will only be blocking. The Texans pride themselves on having versatile tight ends. Owen Daniels was the team’s second-leading receiver last season. Casey can play tight end, quarterback or even fullback. Dreessen proved valuable on special teams and caught 11 passes last year.

Hill has shown he has the capabilities of being involved in the passing game. He scored four touchdowns on 19 receptions as a senior. He was even the team’s leading receiver in 2006.

“I talked to coach Pariani on Monday, and we were talking a little about my role,” Hill said. “Obviously I’m considered to be a good blocker, but they didn’t plan on me just coming in and blocking on every single play. They want me catching the ball. He told me not to expect to be a one-dimensional type of guy.”

And that’s exactly what Hill wanted to hear. He can’t imagine falling into a better scenario as a rookie.

“This is the situation I really hoped for,” Hill said. “Just to have a chance. I feel so many times it’s just you come into a system but don’t really have a chance to see the field except maybe on special teams. I feel like I’m going to get a chance, and all I have to do is show up and prove to them I can handle it.”